The STARS project gave me an insight to the immense process it is to certify an organization’s level of sustainability. Even though my partner and I only tackled one section of the questions, we were able to see how much detail is required to complete this kind of certification. It also made me realize what the University can be doing differently, specifically in food and dining. Answering these questions highlighted the areas in which we are lacking. One thing that I found frustrating was that Parkhurst was not able to provide answers on a lot of specific data questions. The main reason for this was they do not produce reports for individual schools, and since Parkhurst was not the dining provider last year, they cannot produce information about last year. Besides these road bumps, I found the project insightful and helpful in understanding sustainability at a university level.

The guest lecture from Jamie Moore gave me a great deal of information about the inner workings of Parkhurst. His presentation specifically highlighted the process of sourcing foods. It was very interesting to hear how such a large corporation that is comprised of multiple food service companies supplies their food. Seeing the criteria that Parkhurst has when selecting sources for food vendors gave me a greater appreciation for how hard it is for them to get new items or if they want to change something. I also learned specifics of sustainable farming and sustainable certifications. Jamie highlighted the difference between cage-free chickens and caged chickens. Many people confuse cage-free with free range. In reality, cage-free chickens are stuffed together in a barn and never see the light of day. The information presented to us gives me a much better understanding of the industrial food industry.

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   1. Natural capital: Thomashow describes natural capital as “the stock of natural ecosystems that yield flow of valuable ecosystem goods…”(104). Some examples of this on campus include the Saco river. We use the river for multiple purposes such as water resources for the MSC and as an educational resource.
   2. Human capital: He describes this form of capital as “collective knowledge of the individuals in an organization or society” (104). The professors and staff at the University of New England bring multiple perspectives on the issue of sustainability.
   3. Financial capital: Thomashow describes financial capital as “the standard measure of a campus’s financial health” (105). An example of this includes investing is sustainable energy source that will ultimately be cheaper for thee university
   4. Intellectual capital: An example of intellectual capital would be the studies that the professors and students do in terms of sustainability.
   5. Social capital: is described as “stocks of social trust, norms and networks that people can draw upon to solve common problems”(104). An example of this includes the sustainability department here at UNE. They provide resources and solve problems based on sustainability issues.

Sam Fuller

1. The main point of this chapter is energy use on campus. More specifically the chapter is broken down into sections all pertaining to different aspects of energy use. The first section is how we perceive energy use. The section touches upon how different people view energy sources and how our perceptions can change based on our background, especially our experiences. Mitchell Thomashow points out that, “The most dynamic way to appreciate the necessity of energy is to experience a blackout, or to be without a form of consumable energy when you need it most” (Thomashow 24). The way we experience energy is a crucial way for us to understand it. Someone who grew up without a reliable source of energy and someone who did will probably have different perspectives. The next section is titled “Energy is Paramount”. This is a fitting title for today’s society because it is very accurate. Access to energy, fossil fuel, nuclear, renewable, or otherwise, is at the heart of many countries and their environmental policies. Energy runs our daily lives, our cars, factories, and industry. The next sections all touch on the us of energy on campuses, specifically how we can use clean energy in a sustainable that is good for the university and the planet. These sections outline the overall message of the chapter, that understanding how energy is perceived and used globally allows us to make a sustainable energy plan for college campuses.
2. Something that really stuck out to me a few years ago about the natural world that I had never really noticed was the variety of species that we have in this area. When I first started to get and interest in birds I started to realize how many species we could get in New England and that birds like these were not only found in far away places.
3. It is important to find common ground with people who don’t share the same perspectives on the environment because nothing will get done otherwise. If two opposing sides refuse to work together and find a solution than they will be nothing in place. Working together at least insures that some aspects of your perspective will be put into a policy or other legislative plans. Also, by distancing people we don’t agree with, we can close the minds of others. By working with opposing views, yours or theirs might change.
4. To get started with an energy map at UNE teachers, students, administrators, trustees, and alumni should all get a say in the process. To create an energy map at UNE we would have to keep track of all the energy the school is using. Determining clean energy on campus is a crucial next step in an energy map. And finally the last step would be to create energy friendly infrastructure here on campus. The campus community would be more likely to change their energy behavior if they had the means to do so.
5. I think a large-scale renewable energy source on campus would propel the University of New England to standing across the country. It would bring a lot of attention and it would be a main attraction for people who visit campus. I do agree with Thomashow on the perception of renewable energy on campus. It shows the the school wants to change for the better, and is willing to become an example of how campuses should be in the 21st century
6. I think the “ah-ah” moment for me in this chapter was in the energy perception part. Obviously different people live very different lives, but I never really paid much attention to what that could mean for your perception of energy. As someone who grew up on an island were blackouts were common, I never really realized how this could change my perception of energy.